Quick Tips
- Noisy pumps do not bother game animals
- Find water sources, and likely find game
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 160"-180" | 190"+ |
| Elk | 290"-320" | 330"+ |
| Antelope | 65"-75" | 75"+ |
On The Ground
This unit is located southeast of Bloomfield and bordering the west side of the Jicarilla Apache Indian Reservation. This unit has low numbers of mule deer, elk, and antelope but good hunting can be found with some patience and a lot of effort.
This area gives hunters a chance to hunt bucks in the early stages of the rut with a rifle, as well as deer that have migrated out of the bordering Jicarilla Reservation and even from Colorado, which is 20 miles away. Mule deer and antelope numbers in this area are low. The archery deer season in January can be good. Look for small herds of elk that can be found in secluded pockets throughout this area.
Terrain
A wide, flat river bottom west of Bloomfield is lined with crop fields. Circular hayfields on the eastern edge of bordering Unit 7 attract deer and antelope. Some dry creek beds have water only during heavy rainstorms and have wide bottoms full of dry sand at other times. Above creek beds are mostly sagebrush and barren hills and short ridges with scattered pinyon pines and junipers. Many sandstone cliffs, including some natural arches, give this area a unique beauty. A corner of the Lincoln National Forest occupies about 25 square miles next to the Jicarilla Reservation.
Roughly 807 square miles
89.7% public land
Elevations range from about 5,500 to 7,307 feet
Vegetation
Along rivers and creeks are willows, tamarisks and brush. The western 75% of the unit mainly consists of sagebrush flats and low hills with low ridges. Pinyon pines and junipers provide cover. The northeastern corner is more heavily forested, mostly with ponderosa pines. East of Bloomfield are many farm fields along the San Juan River. Oak brush, bitterbrush and other browse plants grow mostly at middle to high elevations.
Access
Hundreds of pump jacks suck oil out of the ground from the lowest to the highest points, and all are connected by good gravel and dirt roads. Oil field trucks visit each well site almost every day. To avoid a collision, attach a fluorescent orange warning flag on a long pole to your truck’s front bumper. The flag makes you visible at a longer distance to oncoming drivers. The Jicarilla reservation is well-marked, but many private tracts are not. Some oil field roads are gated.
Carry a GPS unit and good maps
Do not trail wounded game onto tribal or private land without written permission
Camping and Lodging
In mild weather many hunters simply park a trailer, camp or RV along the side of a dirt road. In cold weather hunters often stay in motels in Farmington, Aztec or Bloomfield. Navajo Lake State Park has developed campsites, some with electricity. Some hunters stay at the Wild Horse Casino & Hotel in Dulce in the Jicarilla Reservation.
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